Buspar Question

[Kalifornia]

I was put on Buspar about 3 weeks ago.  I'm sensitive to meds, so we started really slow.  I was doing 5mg for 9 days and then did 7.5mg for 8 days and after mentioning my tiredness I was told to go back to 5mg while we wait for some labs.  I'm only taking them at night right now.  Ever since I started taking the Buspar I have been getting an average of 2 hours more of sleep a night and always feel like taking a nap.  The longest I've slept so far on the Buspar has been 16 hours.  I was pretty out of it.

Is this normal?  I know Buspar is supposed to be very mild.  Unfortunately, I can't even tell if it's helping my anxiety because all I've been able to do is sleep.  I've been too tired to be anxious! 

If Buspar doesn't work, I don't know what the pdoc is going to do next.  What in the world could be the next thing we try?  Any ideas?

[Batou]

Kalifornia,

As you said you are sensitive to meds, everyone is different, so it is hard to suggest what you might try next.

The tiredness related to your low Buspar dosage does seem extreme. I know someone who takes it and it never had this type of effect. So goes the standard YMMV - your mileage may vary - with any medication.

What type of anxiety are you experiencing? Panic attacks, generalized anxiety? It is good that you spoke with your pdoc about the side effects and tests were done. But you and your pdoc need to discuss your other med options.

let me know what happens. If you do change meds, and want to hear about experiences with the new med, I am sure folks will share.

Erika

[Kalifornia]

Kalifornia,

As you said you are sensitive to meds, everyone is different, so it is hard to suggest what you might try next.

The tiredness related to your low Buspar dosage does seem extreme. I know someone who takes it and it never had this type of effect. So goes the standard YMMV - your mileage may vary - with any medication.

What type of anxiety are you experiencing? Panic attacks, generalized anxiety? It is good that you spoke with your pdoc about the side effects and tests were done. But you and your pdoc need to discuss your other med options.

let me know what happens. If you do change meds, and want to hear about experiences with the new med, I am sure folks will share.

Erika

Like one of the test is to see what my TSH is.  I already know I have thyroid problems, and we're wondering if that is helping the Buspar make me so tired.  This extreme of tiredness definitely hit me right as I started the Buspar, so that is why we are attributing it to that.  But if my thyroid is also off, that could only be making it worse.  The labs just got back, so I'm just waiting to hear.

But I also think that we're both looking at the Buspar as causing the tiredness becaues when I tried Zoloft, it also hit me hard....even at 12.5mg.  My pdoc guessed that I was probably sensitive to meds, so he decided to start me very low and slowly try and get me up on the Zoloft.  I just couldn't handle it once we got up to 25mg.  Pain killers and muscle relaxants do the same thing for me.  I had to take Flexeril (5mg) a couple months ago and after taking the first pill, I crashed and slept for 17 hours straight and wanted to sleep more.  I stopped taking it after that.  And even a mild pain killer knocks me off my feet.  I have to be in bed all day when I take one.

I'm currently on Welb. XL 300mg (also hit me hard at first), and when I first took it I became very lethargic and almost depressed.  All I could do was sigh all day long.  Too bad Welb. XL doesn't hit me like most people...it would counteract the Buspar.

BTW...it's GAD.  But I get extremely stressed and agitated.  So, knocking me out actually feels good!    I just have a job and can't be sleeping all day. B)

I'm just really curious as to the next course of action or if we're just going to keep trying Buspar, but go extremely slow. 

[Batou]

I have thyroid problems too thanks to lithium. I know how absolutely zapped out the thyroid can make you feel. When my levels were first messed up I don't think I got out of bed for weeks.

It sounds like your pdoc is working with you and taking things slowly. I thought I have had some weird/paradoxical effects for some meds, wow, I really feel for you.

I have GAD too (also BP1, ADD, and social phobia). I have taken several benzodiazipnes but klonopin seems to work best for me. Unlike you, I have an extremely high tolerance for almsot all meds.

Hope you get your test results back soon and something shows up that will help.

Is Buspar the first med you have ever tried for anxiety?

Erika

[Kalifornia]

Is Buspar the first med you have ever tried for anxiety?

Nope...the Zoloft trial was the first.  Then we went to the Wellbutrin XL.  I'm still on that and it has sort of taken the edge off, but not given me that "wow!" less anxiety feeling.  Now it is Buspar's turn. 

I've had thyroid problems my whole life, so when my levels are too high for me (I'm also sensitive to TSH changes) I'm a zombie that likes to sleep all day.  I'm dying to know how the blood test came out.  It's amazing that such a small thing in your neck can knock you out sooooo hard and get you very depressed.

I just know that if I need to function during the day...Xanax and Klonopin are out.  If I react to pain killers the way I do...I can't imagine what a benzo would do to me.  hahaha!

[verytomato]

I'm on Buspar too. It hasn't completely knocked me out or anything, but before I started it I was only getting about 2 hours of sleep a night, now I get a full 8. And I'm not sensitive to meds at all, so maybe it is the Buspar.

[Kalifornia]

Go my test results back.  It's definitely not the thyroid causing any of my problems. I was hoping I could simply just blame the thyroid for everything.  The TSH is actually perfect!  The only test that wasn't normal was my DHEA.  It was off the charts!  hahaha!  I have to have it retested to make sure it wasn't a mistake or else my adrenal glands are really screwing with me (all other hormones were fine).  Which again doesn't fit with how I feel.  You would think with the DHEA level I have that I would have plenty of energy and I'd be happy.  I'm the complete opposite.  No energy, very depressed, and extremely tired.  At least hormonal problems have been ruled out as a cause.

That leaves Buspar as the likely culprit for my exhaustion.  So, I'll be staying on 5mg for the next 2 weeks and then going to 7.5mg.  We're hoping that taking this slow will allow my poor head to get used to the stuff so I can tell if it's actually working.    We'll see....

[Kalifornia]

My gosh!  I just can't stop sleeping!  I keep taking 3 hour naps as soon as I get home from work and then a couple hours later go back to sleep for the night. 

So another question...could all the Buspar be exasperating the sleepiness I'm having from being depressed right now?  If I wasn't depressed, could this sleepiness possibly go away?  I'm no expert on all those little nuerotransmitters going wacky in my brain, so I'm wondering if the wackiness from the depression is causing what the Buspar does with seretonin to make me soooooo sleepy.  It is just so hard to believe that such a little dose is making me THIS tired!        

[Batou]

Morning Kalifornia,

I don't know diddly about what a high DHEA level would mean. I have to go look that one up as now I am very curious.

But depression can certainly be responsible on its own for the extreme tiredness. Sleeping too little or too much can be a hallmark of depression. Catatonic depression can leave you unable to get out of bed for months. Depression can also greatly reduce your energy level, so with having to work all day you may be using up all the energy you have.

You mention how you reacted to the Wellbutrin which does seem paradoxical as it can make some people very anxious and be too stimulating. And seems a weird choice for use as an anti-anxiety med. But we all react to meds so diferently. You tried the Zoloft, was it for anxiety or depression or both? Not that it matters as the Zoloft didn't work for you either.

You say you feel sure a benzo will wipe you out, but you haven't tried one, correct? Somewhat off topic but some people have a paradoxical effect to Xanax, actually get energized and happy, happy. The happy, happy part can lead some folks to abuse the stuff. Put me on Xanax during the day and I'll sleep. Put me on Xanax at night and I'll never be able to wake up.

Klonopin has a long half-life so it is possible to take it only at bedtime, take no dose during the day, and the anti-anxiety effects can last during the day.

OK, all for now. I want to go look somethings up. Of course, the meds have to be worked out between you and your pdoc. But now I have to go ponder what neurotransmitters are doing.

How does the anxiety, or does the anxiety, interfer with your ability to perform your job?

Erika

edited for typos

[Kalifornia]

I don't know diddly about what a high DHEA level would mean. I have to go look that one up as now I am very curious.

It's funny because I didn't know much either.  Then as I did some research I saw that a lot of people take DHEA supplements.  And there is research to see if it is another method to deal with depression that doesn't respond to other meds.  You would think I'd be full of energy and happy.  hahaha!

But depression can certainly be responsible on its own for the extreme tiredness. Sleeping too little or too much can be a hallmark of depression. Catatonic depression can leave you unable to get out of bed for months. Depression can also greatly reduce your energy level, so with having to work all day you may be using up all the energy you have.

Yeah, I know.  I usually sleep a ton when I'm depressed.  I can't attribute this tiredness to that though.  I've been depressed since the first week in December.  I've compared my sleep from before Buspar and after Buspar (I keep track), and there is a significant increase in sleep and tiredness since starting Buspar.

You tried the Zoloft, was it for anxiety or depression or both? Not that it matters as the Zoloft didn't work for you either.

It was only for the anxiety.  My pdoc doesn't even know about the depression yet.  I decided I'm going to mention it when I email him in about 2 weeks explaining everything.

But now I have to go ponder what neurotransmitters are doing.

That's what I'm dying to find out.  I'm only just learning about what they are and what they do.  I'm a very new newbie.

How does the anxiety, or does the anxiety, interfer with your ability to perform your job?

It interferes in the form of stress.  When I get bad, I turn the anxiety into stress and then all the stress gets my body sick.  A little over a year ago I had a 5 day migraine and flu because of the stress my body felt even though the actual amount of stress in my life was only a fraction of what my body was feeling.  It was horrible.  I'm just a huge anxious worrier.  I have the opposite problem when it comes to impulsivity.  I'm the complete opposite of an impulsive person because of the anxiety which also turns into a ton of stress.  The simplest decisions become extremely stressful for me.

[Penny Century]

Go my test results back.  It's definitely not the thyroid causing any of my problems. I was hoping I could simply just blame the thyroid for everything.  The TSH is actually perfect!  The only test that wasn't normal was my DHEA.  It was off the charts!  hahaha!  I have to have it retested to make sure it wasn't a mistake or else my adrenal glands are really screwing with me (all other hormones were fine).  Which again doesn't fit with how I feel.  You would think with the DHEA level I have that I would have plenty of energy and I'd be happy.  I'm the complete opposite.  No energy, very depressed, and extremely tired.  At least hormonal problems have been ruled out as a cause.

That leaves Buspar as the likely culprit for my exhaustion.  So, I'll be staying on 5mg for the next 2 weeks and then going to 7.5mg.  We're hoping that taking this slow will allow my poor head to get used to the stuff so I can tell if it's actually working.    We'll see....

can you tell me what your DHEA level and what your age is?  you can PM me if you don't want to type it here.  were your other adrenal levels ok?  cortisol, pregnelone, etc? 

i'm the opposite of you, my DHEA is through the floor.  DHEA and cortisol and all the other adrenal hormones do a kind of magic dance to help our body respond to stress.  DHEA tends to balance out cortisol.  Like, a very common thing seen in overly stressed people is that they will basically run out of adrenal hormones because they've been running in fight or flight mode constantly.

DHEA is a hormone that naturally declines with age, and should be at its peak at age 25.  this is why i asked your age.

hormones are weird weird things.  i'll go comb through some books and see if i can find an interaction between DHEA and buspar and some other stuff...

[DirtyLittleSecret]

I was put on Buspar about 3 weeks ago.